To the Editor: Mega-dairy opponents gain support

On March 26, at the University of Wisconsin, Platteville, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gave an inspiring speech to more than 1,700 people. Members of Helping Others Maintain Environmental Standards wore StopTheMegaDairy.org shirts to let others know that we are in a battle for clean air and water.

One woman reading our HOMES brochure gave us advice on locations to place this information. “This is such an urgent situation for so many.”

One man said he works at a dairy owned by one of A. J. Bos’s friends. “Why were we fighting him?” We explained that the proposed operation was improperly sited, that the origin of the Apple River was to have manure storage built on top, regulations by multiple departments are not being upheld, and that five state experts are being ignored about the karst geology and design standards. He was relieved. He was afraid we were anti-animal-agriculture. The HOMES people in line were farmers, livestock owners, farm hands and consumers who buy direct from their farmer.

Another woman shared the nightmare of being trapped in her home because of air and water pollution from a 2,300-head hog CAFO [Confined Animal Feeding Operation]. Manure is sprayed in the air and over applied to the field and gets in the river that runs by her property. Limited to the use of her property, she hides inside from the stench. She was in line to plead for the help of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.